Phil S

Some older chips do not follow the current idea of CV8=8 to reset, and others offer additional PART resets with different numbers written to CV8 For example, CV8=33 works on old Lenz decoders, (possibly also cv8=32) CV 8 = 5 or 2 may do part resets on some sound decoders... I have recently come across several which appeared not to reset .... they were some of the first DCC decoders I fitted to replace Zero-1 decoders, many years ago, and now I have been replacing them with TTS Sound decoders. Yet other decoders use a 'lock'/'unlock' option on another CV which must be written or matched first, before values- especially addresses- can be changed. I am never sure whether these respond to a simple reset whilst 'locked' 8-(

Phil: I did mention that it would be 'slow acting' in comparison to a PSX: The example I gave was of a steady-state 'fault current' of about 2 - 5 Amps where only 1 Amp would normally be taken (an example from one of my layouts where all 30+ points are 'powered' and operated via Train Tech CDU modules), and there are a number of dcc-controlled 'accessories' which are therefore powered from the DCC bus .... ALL control of ALL features on the layout is via DCC This includes moving cars and cyclists with Magnorail -( controlled as if a loco, but on the accessory bus), a Carousel, and falling tree, H0f railway system via Busch DCC module..... all with wiring passing from 1 board to another, and therefore all 'at risk' of a fault. WITHOUT a circuit breaker, a fault WILL stop the entire layout - but no longer.

Phil: A parallel question: Just because your immersion heater, cooker and fridges etc don't normally cause shorts - would you be prepared to operate them without circuit protection??? Similarly - a 'standard' miniature circuit breaker - as I suggested, on the 'accessory bus' is there to protect against faults WHICH MAY OCCUR on THAT bus ... however 'unlikely' .... Something faster acting, and intelligent in its current analysis, such as a PSX, is more appropriate to the track bus. Of course, it MAY be that your accessory bus has no exposed or vulnerable wiring- such as the 2 conductors being adjacent to each other at terminal blocks etc 8-) WITHOUT the additional circuit breaker on the accessory bus, the only option is for the central controller to cut-out in the event of a fault occuring - resulting in a total loss of service (just like SouthWest Railways daily excuse emails) ,,, AND THIS MIGHT NOT BE UNtil a fault current in excess of 3-5A is flowing. IF your NORMAL current on the Accessory bus is only 1A .... then an unchecked 3A may be doing damage somewhere .... and its a low cost to add a miniature (push button resettable) breaker of 1 or 2Amp rating. Fault-finding is then made much easier - as only the accessory bus will have lost power, and trains continue to entertain visitors.... instead of a TOTAL shutdown ! And if your points are powered from a separate POWER bus (eg16Vac) - but DCC controlled - they would also be completely dead... Prevention is cheaper and better than .... Inbuilt diagnostics make fault finding and operation much easier

What has this device to do with protecting against a short circuit??? Simply buy a miniature circuit breaker with a suitable current rating. Eg 1A. 2A or 3A ** will protect an accessory bus, whilst a PSX or similar intelligent circuit breaker will protect track busses / track sub districts beyond them. ** depending on the response speed of the circuit breaker and the type of point motor or drive modules you use, and whether the point operating power is taken from the DCC bus or from a separate power rail eg 16Vac. ( And since the DCC signal is AC .... Their use of different colour wires was purely for manufácturing convenience. ...NOT to be confused with mains ac where fusing / circuit breakers etc should all be fitted in the 'same or 'live' wiring rather than 'neutral' because

The OP may not want to have either another 230Vac connection and power supply involved - especially if transporting to shows etc. But an overriding consideration should be how essential is it for the 12Vdc to remain available when the track dcc is removed by either a short circuit or during programming etc ??? If that is not a concern, and the additional load in the dcc bus is low, then a small conversion module for local-conversion on the specific board of the destination product is to be recommended - similar ready-built modules are available for 5V /USB outputs which can power other useful little gadgets and animations. My preference is for the animations and other devices to continue independently of the dcc track/accessory signal wherever possible - so that they continue to operate and entertain whilst any problem on the dcc is resolved. I DO therefore have a 12Vdc bus for laout lighting and effects (6A !) from which I use modules to give me a local 5V where needed.

Oh dear ......no it won't. It would give a 4ohm impedance and possibly smoke from the decoder !!! SERIES connection is needed to ADD 8 + 8 = 16. And if the c v volume control is not proving sufficient reduction .... And wadding is not enough ( still allowing for cooling airspace) then a resistor in series would be more effective than adding another loudspeaker ....and occupy less space too. And probably cheaper.

The OP requested advice on a simple to implement Mimic Display with purely visual feedback display of settings. As already suggested, the ideal off-the-shelf solution at present is the Alpha modules and LEDs / ground signals provided by DCC Concepts: If you search around the various packs may be on offer at discounted prices - but ensure you buy at least 1 with a control module included. You will want 'continuous sequential addressing' to make the most efficient use - ie no gaps in your numbering, because each control module is configured for a single starting address, and the the rest follow sequentially. [When Zero-1's micromimic originally came out, I had to renumber my points and signals to have no gaps in the sequence, instead of starting each station with an easy to remember number 8-). FYI, I've attached my Zero-1's Micromimic Display of (130) points and signals (using addresses 1-99. This was plug and play. The alpha version is simpler,in that the Control modules work off the same DCC bus as the rest of the layout - with Zero-1 there was a separated display bus. It is easily expanded AND has the additional benefit that the same modules can be used for ground signals. They have 2 outputs per address. WHAT IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE with a situation like this is, in my view, a portable handheld controller ( eg Multimaus, Tablet, Smart Phone etc) which can provide BOTH Loco AND accessory control --- so that you can make the best use of moving around the layout - with a large display visible from anywhere. The alternative to a Physical MIMIC PANEL is the 'glass box' panel - previously a TV/VDU but can be a touch screen desk monitor OR a tablet - with the software providing as many display 'LEDs' as desired, at no additional expense !! Eg using a Z21 and a cheap Android Panel (10" touch screen). Would I build another Micromimic like my 2m long one above ? - No - now I use large screen LED-lit LCD TV panels which weigh LESS and can be changed if I modify the layout, and also be used for other inputs - like a Junction monitor camera, or listening to the radio while working on the layout 8-) in my view, the idea of switches individually mounted on them 'to show that they really changed' would be asking for a ludicrous amount of extra wiring to get them back to a panel - and using none of the advantages of dcc which ALSO benefits point and signal control !! -- when, as has been suggested several times, only a pair of wires operating off the dcc bus is required - giving a parallel indication of the point position: -A model railway is not a life-critical system where lives are at risk if a point occasionally fails - and anyway - ears give a good indication of point operation ! -- when a point is thrown - listen to it move: [ My present layout has many more points and signals than that Zero-1 diagram version ] In the garden, where we are most likely to suffer failure of a point to move - usually due to willow catkins having fallen into a point - I usually operate them 3 times if uncertain - to hear it move, move back, and then move again - I would suggest this is more reliable than trying to mechanically add switches - which are just another possible point of failure - into the system. [ If your mechanism is so unreliable that you have doubts on its operation - choose a different make or design of point motor !! ] Indoors, unless the over-centre-spring on a point is mis-adjusted, and a point 'bounces' rather than changes properly - it is better to fix the root of the problem than add more to go wrong or give incorrect indication. [ For my Roco GEOline points, I had some which produced a buzzing with the LS150, but since changing them to Train Tech DCC CDU modules, I have had no problems - or an initially nerve-racking delay while the capacitor charged before the point fired across ! ] [ Veissmann point motors 4554 actually have Railcom feedback built in to identify their movement - but that is not a cheap solution !!] HD CCTV cameras are another cheap option for confirming actual point position - 1 wire can cover a whole junction !

(I too thought it looked like esu lokpilot / Bachmann ... and had one recently with the violet wire on the pad ... but is it supported by software when sold as Bachmann??? ESU usually have a visible version number on the PCB ... may be on the other side to that shown. With 3 functions - white, yellow and green, you can easily have: white = forward white light and rear red light at opposite (back) end, via .resistors yellow to a white light (for reverse) at rear, with a red light at the front, and a green F1cab light. [ You CAN wire the white and red LEDs at opposite end in SERIES or PARALLEL - as long as each has a series resistor (1 k or more probably) - but if wired in parallel you have the choice of different resistance values for red and white lights - to alter the brightness of the outputs.] Note that you will ALWAYS have a red tail light when you have a front white light on ... controlled by F0 and swapping ends when you change direction. The F1 Green Cab light (and resistor) is independent. In all cases, the circuit is normally completed by connecting to the Blue positive wire [But there are other options] IF there had been a 4th violet wire, it would have been possible to use White for FRONT WHITE only, YELLOW for REAR white only, with Green for Red at Rear, and Violet for Red at front ... with CVs adjusted so that F1 and F2 (for example) controlling the green and violet wires allow you to optionally have the tail lights on - they can be made 'semi-automatic' with some decoders - so red is not on when it is at the front. OR as suggested in another thread recently - red font and rear by having F0 off, F1 and F2 both on ... for a parked loco. It is also possible to have interior lighting or cab lights come on automatically with the white lights in either direction [F0=on] (eg how Bachmann light their DMU /EMU insteriors) ..... this would involve a diode from each of the white and yellow wires ( band toward the white or yellow wire ), and a CAB LED and resistor connected in series to the blue common positive.

It is not necessary, in most cases to know the make of decoder, to use it 8-) This has the standard wiring colours: Red = right track, black = left track Orange = motor +ve or where the right track had been connected in analogue, Grey - the motor -ve or where the black (left) track had been connected. (but these can be swapped over if preferred - no damage is done... ) Blue is the common positive - here for your lighting, and white is the -ve side switch for the lights your want when going 'forward' - and yellow the -ve switch for the lights you want when going in reverse (assuming default directional lighting turned on with F0. I assume you plan hardwiring. Don't forget that LEDs wll require a series resistor with each ... minimum 1k ... perhaps 2k2 The green wire offers a 3rd function switch - eg for a cab light or flashing light (for which you can use a 'flashing LED= an LED and integral integrated circuit which usually operates from about 9V or more [commonly advertised as 12V], and will flash the LED at 2Hz without any programming. Normally On/Off with Function 1 ... but with a TTS decoder it would be button F18 or F25 depending on steam or diesel ... on some (other) decoders these can be changed by the user using the CV table. IF there had been another wire - it would probably have been Violet, and act as the 4th function ... same idea as above. (There is no obvious sign of an extra wire having been on the pad above the orange - so make no assumption about it] NOT ALL DECODERS respond to CV8=8 to reset !!!! Some require CV8=2, other CV8 =32, and some others need 'unlocking' (see their user manual) to allow a change to be made. CV 29 should be standard, and Cv1 for short addresses, and CV17/18 for long ... depending on how your controller offers them. IF you have a controller that 'reads back' then you can read CV 7 and CV 8 to identify the make, if not obvious on the PCB itself.

If the problem is YOUR CONTROLLER NOT programming without having any feedback - then simply place another DCC loco next to it - do the programming, and the loco provides the acknowledgment - then remove the van and programme the loco back to what you wanted on that. If this is the solution - its one reason why I always prefer to use a Multimaus without readback to program locos ! (The Multimaus WILL support readback when used with the Rocomotion Serial interface or with a MultiCentralePro or a Z21/z21 )

try the numbers used for disels or steam locos.... cv182 for an s15 or cv182 for an 08 or cv178 for a castle failing that simply type in a range .... start from eg cv160 =0 through cv161=0, cv162=0 etc until you hear a result. then reset sounds with cv8=5 to default and change (again) only what you need.

you could simply add the 2nd 1k resistor - in series (either side of the led it does not matter as long as the current has to pass through the 2 resistors and 1 led But do you have space in an N gauge model for yet another resistor ??? If ALL the voltage drop was across the resistor**..... assume 10mA is probably bright enough.... V=IR 12V = 10mA x R R= 12 x 1000 / 10 = 1200 ohms But 2k4 would reduce the current to 5mA P=IV 12V x 10mA = 12 x 10 / 1000 watts = 0.12W in which case P=IV = 12 x 5mA = 12 x 5 /1000 = 0.060 Watts 1/8W metal oxide resistors are quite small 8-) ** or 12V across the resistor, and the remaining voltage 2-5V across the LED according to colour or type Some white leds now have as low a voltage drop as red leds .... others may need 5V

it is not necessary to read back a cv to change it ( although some controllers which expect to read back might 'hang' at this stage. ... in which case either turn off read back or change to PoM .... for which it will not expect readback, and can be done on any part of the track Simply write the new value to the desired cv .... eg CV190 ... write in a value of 0 = all sound off!!! or 1 for quiet 4 is factory default (on other locos)

Smartphones are not a compulsory item for the z21 or Z21. ..... In this case a non-phone connected tablet is all that is required. As it is the WiFi used to make the connection. Equally it accepts cabled handsets using expressnet .... The most obvious being the Roco or Fleischman Multimaus .... But a Hornby select uses express net and can therefore be plugged in and used. In the same way as it can be plugged in to an elite. The WiFi LAN version of the multimaus ....designed for the z/Z21 ....... Is availàble new for about 80gbp .... Giving freedom to walk about and control 9999 locos and over 2000 accessories ....with a graphic display of point L/R I use a Fusion5 HD tablet 10.8" tablet as well, for the track diagram of a 17m long g scale layout.... Changing points at the far end with a single tap.... It can do th3 loco control too, but we are habitual multimaus users ( a select can be used as a slave controller with a Roco Multimaus as Master in the basic Multimaus+Àmplifier setup ...which Is how I tried it originally)

i too have replaced lima chassis - with default pickup only on one side of each bogie, with a moe recent Hornby verson with smaller motor unit nem pocket couplings and all wheel pickup... but unfortunately all magnetic object pickup too !!! 8-0 ... so put a piece of insulating tape over the motor terminals which are rather unprotecte on the side of the motor, and by the motor magnets ... so anything magnetic nearby is attracted and held acrodss the terminals resulting in a dead decoder !!!! ... tape is a simple problem avoidance 8-) the only lima chassis i have retained are those i bought ultrascale wheels for !!! .. so they have the modeltorque/susu replacements but ultrascale wheels have no grip. Modifying a BigBoy, I have split the drive into 2 halves, and used a susu motor for each ... less space in the cab, but a bit fiddly for the middle because the shafts are off centre .. i had to reangle the centre casting to give the motor a straight shaft.

look on ebay or 'freewedbstore' for 'susu' motors .... about 5-6gbp each includong postage from finland ! 'cd drive' style motors as replacements for fleischmann or lima. an idea sold earlier by 'modeltorque' who sold them with mounting moulding and voltage dropping components. or search on lima replacement motors or fleischmann replacement motors. DO NOT have your (unpowered) dc and dcc systems connected as all-but ancient rheostat designs are unlikely to have voltage fed backinto them from the layout !!! - surely a simple common plug and socket is easy to arrange, or a DPDT changeover switch is not too difficult to arrange ?? (The same smoke effect can be obtained on 2-loop analogue layouts when a crossover path is created and a loco bridges the 2 circuits ... a simple idea that may have worked okay with passive circuits and smooth voltages but not recommended for modern electronic controllers... whether 'feedback' types or not!)

UPDATED Conversion of early Hornby SD 08: I was concerned about the small gap beneath the 'refitted' body caused by the decoder being located above the motor (which can also be a 'hot' place to put a decoder - cool is best) - so I looked again this morning, and realised that as usual the 8pin socket area was a waste of space ... then I realised that part of the block was screwed on separately - and when removed created a large usable space ... for only a minimal weight loss, with no surgery! but still slightly short for the TTS decoder.... SO, I glued a piece of curved cardboard over the top of the motor - extending over the flywheel - to prevent any contact !! The TTS decoder was then hardwired and mounted diagonally - starting flush with the front of the gear tower, and finishing with the wires over the flywheel - protected by the card. The result is a perfectly fitting body - with plenty of sound from the Hornby speaker through the front grille ( first - remove the grille, and then make a square hole in the front of the body, which wil be covered by the slatted grille afterwards ). The speaker is NOT glued to the body (as with my Bachmann concersion) but uses the supplied foam to hold it to the chassis - so that it can be easily rewired ( the supplied speaker leads are now 5mm too short) . Surplus wires taped to the card on top of the motor.

Phil: See my updated Hornby 08 conversion in a few posts time .... relocating the decoder to where the 8-pin socket is mounted and requiring no surgery to crete. Hard wiring also required about 5mm extra length on the speaker leads. Bachmann 08 Conversion... I converted both a Hornby and Bachmann 08 yesterday - only proble with the Bachmann was dropping the centre axle plunger and pring twice .... only found once so far ... that is my next task - otherwise all is well and working.. I cut off the chassis weight at its thinnest point, just ahead of the flywheel. I cut out the body behind the radiator grille and put the Hornby speaker there in both versions - trimming off the corner metal of the speaker at the top to ensure I could the speaker as high up as possible (and more centrally behind the grille apperture. I protected the decoder position ( a slot in fit ) with 2 pieces of plasticard - 1 on the speaker side, and the other from the 'waist' level (otherwise it fowled plastic in the lower part on reassembly) upwards - protecting it from the flywheel and chassis. I hard wired the 4 required wires - and bundles te remainder for future use. Unfortunately the Bachmann grille is solid - unlike the Hornby Slatted piece - so it needs cutting out to leave the frame, and microstrips inserting vertically to complete. The body clip fits back onto the chassis. front and back. On the Hornby08, SEE UPDATE the decoder on top of the insulated motor is a clearance fit - and the body sits freely with a small gap - and if the rear screws are fitted, it opens to 1mm at the front ... this may close with screws but I'm uncertain what I might be squashing. Both are early versions of the Super Detail Shunters - pre sound. Completed a Bachmann Class 20 yesterday too - did not use the sugar cube speakers I had bought in but used an ESU squarish model with silver grille on top and felt rear..... located on the chassis beneath the fan. Class 60 and 42Valentas no problem plug and play.

I thought this had been posted last night - but obviously not 8-( You may be making a fundamental error in assuming that the 'internal speed steps' are the same as the 'external control' range ?? Whilst most manufactuers do not reveal their internal coding, one aspect that LGB ( and therefore Massoth ) revealed about the inner workings of THEIR decoders, over 10 years ago, was that they used 1024 steps internally ... and this was on a system which only used 14 extenal steps at the time..... their point being that accel and decel cv3 and 4 used the additional steps when changing from one commanded value to another to smoothe transitions ... Equally we made/make use of CV5 to limit the maximum speed to 1/2 or1/4 of full potential on our g shunting puzzles, but still have smooth control via cv3 and 4. How many 'speeds' can a diesel or electric unit switching rheostats be set to ?? Modern thyristor or similar units may be fully variable.

I seem to have been quoted from PART of a 2011 posting ... 8-) IN most cases where I have included those figures, I have given 2 sets of information: FIRST that the aim should be to drop no more than about 2 Volts around the layout under MAXIMUM load .... so as to avoid the possiblility of 'dropout/brown out' by decoders - especially sound decoders !! at the 'furthest' parts of the layout. - THIS CALCULATION produces a worst-case value for the 'loop' resistance ( EXCLUDING LOCO ) because it is based on 2 Volts acceptable drop = Max Current x Maximum Loop Resistance. Some of the values will depend on your track voltage which might be from 12V to 22V but typically 16V on track ( 12V to motor) For the example I used simple values of 10 and 20 to keep the arithmetic obvious. THE SECOND to show the MAXIMUM RESISTANCE for a loop to be able to have the indicated current flow in a short circuit: YES, a 'limiiting case' to avoid assumptins about how much headroom there would be between 'normal'/continuous output and a short circuit cutout. (Without the orignal supporting text - assume these currents are the trip current eg 5 Amps for a 3Amp continuus output controller) (I've decided 'continuous maximum' is a better phrase than 'normal maximum' - as it is to do with the CAPABILITY of thr Controller, and not how many trains you shoose to run. THERE IS NO NEED FOR LOCO RESISTANCE TO BE IN THESE FIGURES - it is simply to draw attention to the differing current-carrying requirements of differing layouts based on their Controllers Maximum output capability. (At the time it was written 8 years ago ?? ) there were MANY people claiming, on the one hand, that conversion of their analogue layout needed no changes in wiring - I can only assume thay have a 1Amp or similar DCC Controller (and no commercially made Power Feeds with interference Suppresion capacitors inside them !!! - like Hornby, Roco etc.. ) ... or their short circuit protection may not work well... Conversely there were many advocating the use of 30A Ring Main T+E (which I used for my Zero-1 layout back in the 80's (and in one response, someone took great exception to my not specifically mentioning droppers ... ) THE POINT I was trying to make, is that there is NO SINGLE ANSWER - because required information is omitted.... Drawing the parallel to the domestic consumer Unit - Incoming Mains maybe 100A - the house then has 1 or more ring mains of 30A fused/breaker rating, and lighting ring(s) of 5A and cooker and immersion and other specific feeds with appropriate limits. Size of layout is also not directly relevant. IN THE SAME WAY ; a model railway layout could be using a 10A or 5A output controller, but only require a thinner-than 'expected' conductor, by having those areas beyond a circuit breaker provising the protection. I use PSX's due to their 'intelligence' with coping with initial capacitor charging surges of early sound decoders ... meaning that although my LOFT layout has 4 x 3.2A power districts, it is split into SUB districts with a lower protection threshold ... which cut out first - (and auto reset when possible) - whilst leaving the remainder of the layout running as normal. Our 3-level transportable H0 layout uses 3 x PSX breakers to separate each level in the same way (from 1 x 3.2A supply) However, with our transportable G scale (upto 17m long), where thick brass cross section rail provides both the running and the current (Why have a piece of relatively thin copper wire, when a large section brass rail is in use !!!) - 1 controller of 3.2A at 16V provides all. The thinnest wire is the initial connection to the small terminals of the Z21 controller 8-) BUT the GARDEN layout has a slight slope, and may have many engines running and most with sound and lighting ( including all coaches) In 125m of track, it uses Massoth rail clamps (screwed fishplates) and multiple parallel power feeds of 2.5mm2 from extra copper/aluminium wires. Its resistance is less than 0.5 ohms, and can trip the 8A massoth we use for the garden, on a short. [ I do NOT use Peco 'finescale' G scale track which has a small cross section and relatively high resistance ] IN ALL CASES the ABILITY FOR A SHORT CIRCUIT at the track NEEDS to be VERIFIED .. for safety, and adequacy to avoid unnacceptable voltage drop. Where 2 or more train may be present or operating in a region, the lack of brown-out shuld be observed. Many also mention 'the need' for dropper wires and problem with fishplates: again this depends on more than is usually mentioned: Rail Size and Material ... from Brass or Nickel Silver in N to Gauge 1 code 55, 80, 75, 83,100, 12. Continuous Rail lengths may be up to 1m, 1.2m or 1.5m. IN the garden, the brass LGB fisplated may be relied upon (and are okay outside for about a year if not fitted with graphite grease - or Massoth or Hillmam Rail Clamps. Ballast may have been added with 'wetted' adhesive which get in between fishplate and rail provsing a nice insulating joint ! Hazardous 'Wire Wool' trees may be by the line, and fall onto it causing sparks and a fire with DCC and inadequate protection....

The size of YOUR wiring depends primarily on the continuous MAXIMUM output your controller is CAPABLE of ....because its trip-current will be higher still !! A DCC layout with a 1A controller has a different requirement to one with 3, 5 or even 12A controller!!!...... ( and is then made easier by having breakers protecting 'sub' districts 9r areas.) Whilst, with an analogue layout, you would/might simply 'turn up' the volts, if 'wiring resistance' was seen to be slowing a train down, DCC uses an 'unchanging' fixed voltage on the track ( of about 15-16V ac data-modulated square wave (max22V ) .... And therefore if parts of the track experienced more resistance, the train would slow, and possibly lighting dim ..... In a Very extreme case, ( perhaps a loose fishplate ) the available voltage could fall below that needed to maintain the sound or (microprocessor) control .,.. Causing sound to stop and restart or the locodrive itself to faulter. (And as the controller is effectively in the loco, it is a potentially similar effect to everyone cooking Xmas turkey at the same time and Mains voltage dropping everywhere) So the initial requirement is to ensure the adequacy of the total wiring loop from controller to distant loco. In analogue this was probably a whole set of individual 'loops' ...1 for each 'section'. In digital use, the individual sections are not needed (in the same way) and multiple trains mày be present in any 'wiring loop' ..... And from V= IR , the more current being taken in the loop, the more the voltage drop for the same wiring resistance. ( Some short lengths can be thinner than the remainder such as 'droppers'.….... But as short as possible to minimise their resistance) How much current might continuously flow in a loop section of your layout depends on the MAXIMUM continuous output of YOUR CONTROLLER...which was probably 1amp for analogue, but might be 1, 2 ,3,4,5 8 10 or even 12A in a digital layout. ( like household wiring ...individual areas may be fuse/breaker protected to have only lower current limits ). This has a MAJOR effect on the wiring you need!!!! For YOUR protection, the controller has a cutout which will operate when the current exceeds a certain amount which is ABOVE the continuous maximum. The higher the maximum continuous output of your controller, the higher the short-circuit overload current tip will be ..... And the resistance around the loop needs to be low enough to ensure that amount of current CAN flow .... Even though it is only for a moment. Therefore test ALL reaches of your layout with a local short-circuit across the track, and confirm that the controller ( or area's circuit breaker, if sub divided ) trips out. The latter, as with house wiring divided into separate parts each protected by a fuse/ breaker, is a much better situation experience, as the remainder of the layout can continue working as normal.

Have you checked with a silent decoder about the light operation - in case the sockets have been wired incorrectly / rotated 180 ??? Best to check with a meter and nothing plugged in to check; track ONLY, on the 2 track sockets, and 20 ohms approx of motor ONLY, on the other diagonal - ie the motor pair. ... then confirm that the common positive is not where the green wire is being connected 8-) A 9V battery held to the appropriate socket holes via 2 pieces of wire would allow verification that it is NOT the HST which is wrong... Also check, of course, that none of the HST wiring was snagged when accessing orreplacing the body. Check the decoders for bare wire extending back from the soldering so that there is NO risk of a short to an adjacent wire

Surely, as per the manual pages you uploaded, the address is set ONLY by the Dip switch coding according to the table - and finally, the last switch sets the choice between dcc and mfx protocols ???? No need for PoM just RtM.

'Train' Detection - for some this means only detection of a 'Locomotive' (or other power consuming device), and is commonly achieved by detecting whether ANY current being consumed within a 'section' - and therefore requires (at least one rail of ) the track to be electrically separated from other rails - a method that has similarities to analogue cab-control/sections, which may explain its 'popularity'/familiarity. As Current Detection requires ALL the detected-track-sections' power feeds to PASS THROUGH Monitoring Devices, it is best included in the initial design and build of the track, because the wiring distribution needs to be based XaroundX THROUGH it. Railcom/Railcom+ is a feedback system available for DCC ( matching a similar ability of Marklin's Mfx Digital system to have 2-way communication ), which ALSO NEEDS SECTIONS to identify the LOCATION of the Object ... typically by using more-advanced current monitoring devices which can decoder and pass-on the extra information obtained to a computer/controller, instead of just a simple occupied or not status. [Railcom/+ has many features provided by sending back information from the on-board decoder, which can include 'play value' ??? items such a 'simulated coal or fuel load' - or perhaps more usefully for larger automated layouts - running time for servicing interval information ] {Personally I question the benefit of a loco 'simulating' running out of fuel in a tunnel on the far side of one's layout - but it does have other uses 8-) Other 'detection' methods include Optical (beam break or reflection by a nearby object), Magnetic - using 'Hall Effect' electronic switches or reed relays, 'Contact'/treadle activated switches in the track, Barcode reading ( as with items in a supermarket ) and RFid tags ( uniquiely pre-coded transceivers which are activated when they are close to an RFid Reader. THESE ALL monitor a small, specific, location - where (each) detector is placed, and do not need to be part of the dcc-electrical track system at all - (Which I consider to be an advantage from the point-of-view of fault-finding and maintenance), and CAN be added AFTER the track layout is built and running . The OPTICAL detectors will DETECT ANY OBJECT that is not transparent ( to Infra-Red ) and therefore will detect any wagon or obstruction (including a hand) in the way of the detector - they will respond to the WHOLE TRAIN and not just the specific part with a Magnet or Bar Code or RFid tag. ( Personally I prefer the idea of Optical detection - because it IS separate to the actual track running - and means my track sectioning is chosen for power distribution and fault-finding simplicity, and not confused with analogue-sectioning or train-occupation-blocks. Both can be operated and checked independently for greater reliability. Eg my Transportable Skandi Layout uses 3 power districts = just 3 sections, but for electrical train detection would be 80 sections - and information from all of those would need relaying back across multiple board joins... [less of a problem for a permanent layout ] whilst I am considering adding railcom to the layout - that will be just 16 blocks (Digikeijs Module) and confined to 2 joined boards which host the main storage areas. The remainder will again be optical, as with its predecessor layout ) MAGNETIC Detection is made easier by modern NEO magnets - so that only a small, and economical magnet needs to be fitted 'beneath' stock- and this could therefore be extended to every piece of stock, making the system 'train'/object detection, as with optical, rather than 'loco' detection. Small magnetic reed relays or Hall sensors are placed in the track bed, and the on/off information passed back, as with other systems, via a 'concentrator'-FEEDBACK-module' which usually gathers together information from 8 or 16 individual detectors, giving them an 'address', and then passes them back on a Feedback Bus to either the Controller or a Computer BarCode Readers - Lissy(R) or perhaps a system announced by not yet released by Hornby ??? adds the benfefit of unique identification to the simple occupation-detection mentioned above - thus providing definitive train-tracking information back to a computer (Eg Railmaster, RR+Co, etc). RFid tags are another, non-contact method of passing back unique identifying information - MERG make kits for members which include an 8-way Concentrator combining information from 8 detectors through 1 serial port (or there is now a CAN-bus version) KNOWING which Loco is WHERE is an important aspect of train control ensuring reliable train-tracking under computer control along predicted routes through pointwork ( where the computer assumes the direction of points because they were also dcc controlled ). UNLIKE ANALOGUE - the identity of EACH controlled loco MUST be known to the software/controller/driver - whereas a 'simple shuttle' in analogue could work with ANY unidentified loco placed on the track. This is why Rfid, BarCode and now Railcom options can be so useful on a 'larger' or computer controlled layout. Mfx (from Marklin) automatically identifies a loco placed on the track to the controller, and displays its identity, without the owner having to set a loco address. - the advantage of being an 'in house' desigh rather than via a committee of differing manufacturers. There are also Ultrasonic Transponder systems from a Danish Company, which, in combination with 3 listening sensors, will locate your Object in 3D [ Each fitted loco emits a uique ultrasonic pulse-code when requested, which is triangulated by the 3 listening sensors, like GPS satellites] ..... and as a side effect, it can firstly build up a 3D track plan of your layout as you drive around it, and then show your trains position on the plan.... and offer automated control of it - even by the spoken word [ when we first saw this being demonstrated at the Danish Railway Museum, some years ago, it long-preceded the likes of 'Alexis' or other household voice-activated items ]/ To summarise: for Automated, Control or semi-automated operation such as stopping (some) trains in stations, the control system needs to know where THE train is, and this can be detected by a variety of means - each with there own advantages and disadvantages. SOME REQUIRE the manual entry of the specific loco identify, which is then train-tracked around the layout when the controlling device (computer) knows or controls the loco direction and route over pointwork... until it reaches further detectors. Railcom, Barcodes, RFid, or Mfx are examples of methods of automatically and uniquely communicating back to the computer information about the loco such as Id, speed, direction, running time etc, for more complete control options. As mentioned in a previous contribution: Pointwork should be excluded from adjacent 'occupation' sections, as routes need to be changeable when points are not-occupied.

Have you considered buying pre-wired SMD LEDs?? - they come, with or without attached resistor according to supplier - there are a range of sizes down to a pinhead .... it makes it easy to get the light in the right place without 'light pipes' ... and the wires come back to a more convenient position. [ Plenty available via Ebay, or Digikeijs also sell packs of them, as do DCC Concepts... ] Other observations: If the same make and batch, parallel LEDs will usually work and appear as bright as each other - but otherwise a separate Resistor provides the option to adjust them individually - eg for Day/night switching. Resistors do not have to be specifically on the cathode or the anode side - as long as they are there in series** - whichever s most convenient for your circuit and physical arrangement - that said, it may be PREFERABLE to work to a common standard so that, once legs are trimmed, and joints sealed with heat shrink, you can still identify which way things are ! **With 3 legged LEDs, a common resistor can be used on the central pin, but with no control on the relative brightess of the 2 outputs - with resistors on both the outer legs, they can be adjusted indiviually. With Loco-based decoders, it is EASIER to use Common ANODE (+ve) because the common (Blue wire) is positive, and the standard outputs pull down to grouns ie 0V when 'On' [ But some decoders now support connections to high and to low - see their instructions for details ! ] For (Stationary) Accessory Decoders - ihese may vary with different makes. CHECK with a meter. I would recommend buying a small 'LED Tester' - the size of a PP3 (v battery (which is what is inside the box) - and with a series of contacts labelled from 1mA to 50mA allowing you to judge the required resistor value by the light output obtained .... because modern LEDs are SO much more efficient than older types, you could be using values in the 2-5k region for a single LED across the onboard power .... and I would not assume only 12V if considering MINIMUM resistor values - because the dcc specification allows for, and many systems will have, a higher voltage - typically 14V [ the extra 2 volts, with a '12V LED lighting strip is enough to DOUBLE the current ] ... and can go as high as 20V within spec (after the diode bridge drops) .... but I think you would find it a very inefficient old LED that required the resisitor to be such a low value that it damaged the LED.